Altron celebrates 60th birthday with a call to rebuild Johannesburg

Altron is celebrating its 60th birthday by honouring Johannesburg’s heritage and encourages business, government and civil society, to come together and respond to our President’s call to rebuild Johannesburg.

Johannesburg, South Africa – 1 April 2025 – Altron, a JSE listed, proudly South African, technology company, is celebrating 60 years of innovation by showcasing the story of Johannesburg through a new lens. In collaboration with historian Michael Charton, author of "My Father’s Coat" and other historic narratives, Altron will bring to life Johannesburg's story, highlighting its role in South Africa's industrialisation and paying tribute to the business leaders and organisations who helped shape its growth. This powerful narrative that will be performed to audiences throughout April, is set to inspire optimism around the city's revival.

Altron’s Chief Executive Officer, Werner Kapp says: “Commemorating our 60th anniversary by telling this story is significant because Johannesburg is the beating heart of South Africa’s economy. Altron’s story is intertwined with Johannesburg's history and this celebration is about reaffirming our commitment to the city's future.”

Despite the city's current challenges, Altron believes in Johannesburg’s capacity for rejuvenation. From the outset in 1965 Altron invested in local manufacturing and played its part in building key infrastructure in the city – now the technology group is stepping up to play an equally important part in rebuilding the city.

“Sadly, we’ve become desensitised to Johannesburg in its current form – degradation should never be something that we get used to. Seeing the city’s potential needs to be a burning platform for driving positive change, as individuals, as companies and as residents. It’s critical for business leaders and government to unite and make a sustainable difference by rebuilding the city,“ continued Kapp

Altron subsidiary, Netstar, is already making a positive impact to enhance safety and visibility in the city through their SafeCity initiative with strategically placed License Plate Recognition (LPR) and smart cameras across Gauteng. In addition, Netstar is working with Putco to enhance transport safety for their 260 000 daily passengers, using vehicle tracking along with cameras installed inside their busses. Since implementing this solution, Putco has seen a 70% reduction in recorded accidents.

Furthermore, the Group’s FinTech business empowers 10,500 SMEs in greater Johannesburg to provide residents with access to safe, reliable and digitally enabled microfinancing options. With its payaway solutions, which include the SARB’s PayShap and ATM payouts, the Group assisted its customers in paying out almost R7 billion last year, resulting in more than 4.1 million transactions, helping to create more financial inclusion in the digital economy.

“These are just some of the examples where Altron’s technology makes a positive impact on the lives of ordinary South Africans,” Kapp said.

Altron is also partnering with Jozi My Jozi, a people-powered movement that channels a deep passion for Johannesburg into meaningful change to help Jozi thrive again. Altron aims to make an impact by aligning key aspects of its CSI strategy with Jozi My Jozi’s areas of focus. Together with Jozi My Jozi, Altron will be:

• Aligning its employee giving and volunteering initiatives to Jozi My Jozi’s projects.
• Supporting beautification efforts to instill a greater sense of pride in the city.
• Accelerating its investments in education to equip young people with the ICT skills and career opportunities needed to participate in a modern economy.
• Creating tech-enabled solutions through its Transformative Growth Forum and customer-led initiatives to solve some of the challenges faced by the city.

"Partnerships are the cornerstone of progress," says Bea Swanepoel, CEO of Jozi My Jozi. "By joining forces with Altron and other committed stakeholders, we can create a Johannesburg that not only meets the immediate needs of its citizens but also lays the foundation for a prosperous and sustainable future. Together, we have the power to transform this city into a vibrant, inclusive, and thriving metropolis where everyone has the opportunity to succeed."

Werner concludes by saying “The next 60 years will be defined not by the challenges we face, but by the choices we make. Joburg has always been a city that adapts and evolves. Altron is committed to being a part of that evolution. We’re proud to keep doing what we do best aligned to our purpose – harnessing data, technology, and human ingenuity to build a simpler, safer, smarter tomorrow.”

Altron invites all stakeholders to respond to our President’s call to rebuild Johannesburg. Together we can create a city that is not only resilient but also a beacon of hope and opportunity for future generations.